Arc-extinguisher.



F. E. RICKETTS. ARC EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-7.1912.

Patented 0m. 10, 1916.

WWvweeoo 7PM N X 7 FORREST E. RICKETTS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

ABC-EXTINGUISHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10,1916.

Application filed December 7, 1912. Serial No. 785,376.

fl '0 all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, Fomms'r E. Bron m'rs, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Arc- Extinguisher, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to apparatus for extinguishing arcs on electric circuits without disconnecting the affected circuit from the electric system from which it is supplied with power.

In accordance with my invention, apparatus is provided for reducing the excitation of a generator when the electric current in the armature circuit of the generator exceeds a predetermined maximum value.

In the preferred embodiment of the device illustrated, automatic switches are provided for, the field circuits of the generators, and automatic relays are arranged in the armature circuits of the generators for opening the field switches for a few seconds when the armature current exceeds a predetermined value.

In the diagram, generators Nos. 1 and 2, which are shown as being of the rotatingfield type, supply power to buses 3 and 4 through leads 5 and 6 and 7 and 8, respectively. Conductors 9 and 10 connect to the buses 3 and 4 and form a distributing feeder which may be of overhead construction. From the conductors 9 and 10, conductors 11 and 12 lead to a motor 13 which may be of the induction type.

For exciting the field coils of the generators, an exciter 14 is provided. From the terminals of the exciter 14, conductors 15 and 16lead to conductors 17 and 18, which form a field bus for the generators 1 and 2. The conductor 18 is connected to one terminal. of the field coil of generator 1 by a conductor 19, and the conductor 17 is connected by a conductor 20 to a switch lever 21, pivoted at 22. A spring 23 holds the lever 21 against a contact member 24, which is connected by a conductor 25 to the other terminal of the field coil of the generator 1. Also, a conductor 26 connects the conductor 18 to one terminal of the field coil of the generator 2, and a conductor 27 leads from the conductor 17 to a switch lever 28,

pivoted at 29. A spring 30 holds the lever 28 againstat contact member 31, which is connected, by a conductor 32, to the other terminal of the field .coil of the generator 2.

The exciter 14 has a field coil 33 which is connected in series with an adjustable rheostat 34 across the armature terminals of the exciter 14.. The rheostat is for controlling the voltage of the exciter and thereby controlling the field current supplied to the generators 1 and 2 which, in turn, control the voltage impressed on the mains 3 and 4.

From one terminal of the rheostat 34 a conductor 35 leads to a lever 36 which carries a contact member 37, and a conductor 38 leads from. the other terminal of the rheostat 34 to a lever 39, pivoted at 40, and carrying a contact member 41. The lever 39 is moved about its pivot by the action of a solenoid 42 on an iron core 43 which is attached to the lever 39 at the end remote from the contact member 41. One terminal of the solenoid 42 is connected by a conductor 44 to one terminal of a voltage transformer 45, the primary of which is connected across mains '3 and 4 while the other terminal of the solenoid is connected, through a resistance element 46 and a conductor 47, to the other terminal of the transformer. The resistance element 46 is such that, with normal voltage on mains 3 and 4, just sufficient current will flow through the solenoid 42-to maintain the contact member 41 just at the point of contact with the contact member 37 .A disk 48 made of insulating material, preferably hard rubber, is mounted on a shaft 49. A weight 50 is attached to the shaft 49 by means of a cord 51 which is so wound around the shaft as to tend to rotate the disk in the direction indicated by the arrow. An i ron core 52 is provided with a projecting portion 53 and is normally attracted by gravityinto a notch formed in the disk 48, thereby preventing the disk from rotating. A coil 54 is so placed relative to the iron core 52 that, when current flows through the coil, the iron core is lifted against gravity, and the weight 50 will be acted upon by gravity to cause the disk to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow. Metal vanes 55 and 56 are attached to the shaft 49 in such a way that the friction of the air tends to retard the rotation of the disk and, in the present description, we will consider that this retardation is just sufiicient to regulate the speed of the disk to one revolution in sixty (60) seconds.

On the surface of the disk 48 is a metal conductor 57, so placed relative to two metal fingers 58 and 59, that, a few seconds after the disk starts to rotate, the conductor 57 will form electrical connection between the fingers 58 and 59, which connection will continue to a few, say five (5), seconds. A second conductor (30 is attached to the surface of the disk 48 and so related to two metal fingers (31 and (52 that, a few seconds after the disk starts to rotate, electric connection will be formed between the lingers (31 and 62, which connection will continue for say thirty (30) seconds. The metal finger 61 is connected through a lead 63 to one terminal of the resistance element in, and a conductor 6 t connects the metal finger 62 with an intermediate point of the resist ance element (3, say the middle point. The metal finger as is conne ted by a condu tor 65 to the exciter bus 17. and the metal finger 59 is connected through a conductor (it; to one terminal of each of two Solenoids (ST and (38; the other term nals of the solenoids GT and (38 being connec ed through a conductor l to the excite-r bus 18. The sole noicl (37 has an iron core T0. which, when an electric current is pas ed through the solenoid (17, becomes energized and attra ts the iron switch lever .28 against a stop 71, thereby interrupting the field circuit of the generator 2. Likewise, the solenoid be has an iron core T), which, when energized by current flowing in the solenoid (3S, attracts the iron lever 11 again a stop T3 and thereby interrupts the field circuit of the generator 1.

One terminal of the solenoid -1 is connected through a conductor H to the exciter bus 17. and, from the other terminal of the coil 54, a conductor leads to contact mem bers T6 and 77. From the exciter bus 18, a conductor T8 leads to two contact members 79 and 80. An iron co e 81 carries a bridging contact member 8; and is so related to the contact members 76 and 79 that, when the force of gravity is overcome by the in tluence of a solenoid 83 on the iron core, electrical connection between the contact members 76 and 79 is made by the contact member 32. The solenoid 83 is connected across the secondary of a current transformer St, while the primary ol' the trans torlilcr 8t in series with the conductor 8, which constitutes one lead of the armature circuit of the generator 2. Therefore, when the current in the armature circuit of the generator 2 reaches a value sullicicnt to energiz the solenoid 93 and to lift core St to complete circuit between contacts 76 and if), current will [low from the bus 18 along the conductor 79 through contact members Til, H2 and Tti to the conductor 73 and then through the solenoid M and the conductor T-l to the exciter bus IT. This current pass ing through the solenoid 54 will lift the core member 52 and allow the disk to rotate 11nder the inllucnce of the weight 50. Similarly, the core 55 is arranged for completing connection through a bridging contact mem ber h'ti between contact members 77 and b0, whcn the current in a solenoid ST reaches a value sutlicicnt to litt the core 85 against gravity. For supplying current to the sole noid HT. its terminals are connected to the secondarv terminals ot a current transtormcr. while the primar v ot the current transt'ormcr is coiulected in series with con ductor (3, which constitutes one lead of the armature circuit of the generator 1. The function of the solenoid T. with its action on the core 83. is the same with respect to the generator 1 as the solenoid $3, with its action on the core 81. is to the generator 2.

When the system illustrated is in normal operation. the contact member ll is moved into and out of contact with the c ntact member 57 by the iniluence ol' the coil -12 on the core 43. at intervals sullicient to main tain the voltage on the cXciter main IT and 18 at the value required to maintain normal voltage on the mains Z3 and l. .\t the v ame time, the disk is is held in the podtion shown in the drawing by the magnet core The cores ot the magnets 1 and H3 are of such weight that at least zoo per cent. normal current will be required in the armzc ture circuits of the generators l and 2 to litt the cores and eti'cct engagement between the contact members controlled thereby.

Under the above conditions, we will assume that an electric arc is established be tween the conductors J and it), which will cause the current in the leads 1' and to in crease to a value sullicient to cause the solenoids 93 and 97 to hit their cores and close the circuit between conductors T5 and Th. allowing current to tlow from the exciter bus 18 through the coil .rl and back to the cxciter bus 17. This current llowing through the coil S-t will cause the core 52 to release the disk it? which will begin to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow, and ,the conductor 57, passing under the lingers 58 and fit), will complete the circuit between the eXciter buses 17 and 13 through the coils GT and G8, which. in turn. will energize the cores i'Oand 7'2 and cause the switch levers 21 and 28 to move away from the contacts it and 31, respectively, thereby interrupting the field circuits of generators l and 2. As a result, tln voltage on the conductors 9 and 10 will decrease sulticiently to cause the are between the con ductors E and 10 to break without disconnecting them from thearmature circuit of the generators 1 and 2. A few seconds after the disk l8 has started to rotate, the conductor 37 will have passed from under the lingers Sis and 59, thereby interrupting the circuit through the coils G7 and (SS which will allow the springs :23 and 3G to pull the ltitl the core 43 to drop and effect engagement between the contact members 41 and 37, which increases the voltage of the exciter 14 so that, when the field circuits of the,

generators are restored, they will have a very strong field, which will be very effective in resynchronizing the generators. If, however, these strong fields are left on thegenerators after they are again in synchronism, the voltages will rise more rapidly than the counter-electromotive forces generated by the motors, such as the motor 13, and, therefore, the motors will take an excessive current. But, by the time the fields of the generators are restored, the conductor 60'0n the disk 18'will have passed under fingers 61 and 62 and short-circuited oneof means for reducing the voltage of the machine substantially to zero when a. short circuit occurs on the system and for automatically restoring the voltage before the apparatus connected to the system falls out of synchronism with the dynamo-electric machine.

2. In an electrical distributing system, for interrupting an are between conductors of the system; me'ars for reducing the voltage of the entire system substantially to zero,

and then automatically restoring the voltage of the entire system substantially to normal; and means for preventing a second reduction in voltage for a predetermined time. 3 i

3. The combinationwith a series transformer in an alternating current system of distribution, of a circuit breaker in the exciter system, means responsive to the cur rent traversing the series transformer for opening the circuit breaker, means for. closhalf of "the resistance element 46, which will make the contact member 41 respond to onehalf normal voltage on the armature circuits of the generators. Therefore, when the field circuits of the generators are restored, the generators will have very strong fields until they have been syhchronized and their voltages have reached one-half normal value. As a result, the contact member 41 will operate to maintain one-half voltage on the armature circuits of the generators until the 'contactmember 60 has passed from under the fingers 61 and 62, by which time the motors, such as the motor 13, will have reached normal speed. Since all of the resistance element 46 is now in circuit, the

contact member 41 will again operate to maintain normal voltage on the armature circuits of the generators. The disk 48 will continue to rotate until it has made one complete revolution, when the projection 53 will drop into the disk notch and thus stop the disk because the currents in thearmature circuits of the generators will have decreased below the value necessary to lift the cores 81 and 85 and, therefore, the coil 54 will no longer be energized. The system will now be: restored to normal operation without having interrupted any .of the service, as would have been the case if the voltage on the armature circuits of the generators had been maintained at normal and ing the circuit breaker and means for preventing the re-opening of the circuit breaker for a definite time.

4. In a system of electrical distribution, a supply circuit, a load circuit, a plurality of generators furnishing power to the supply circuit, a circuit breaker for interrupting each of the field circuits of the generators, means responsive to the current flow in the supply circuit for simultaneously opening and closing all of the said circuit breakers, and for controlling the frequency of operation of the said circuit breakers.

5. In an electrical distributing system for interrupting arcs between conductors of the system; means for reducing the voltage of the entire system substantially to zero, and tlz-r after a predetermined time, automatically restoring the voltage of the entire system substantially to normal; and means for preventing a second reduction in voltage for a predetermined time.

6. In an electrical distributing system; means for reducing the voltage of the entire system for a predetermined time; means for restoring the voltage of. the entire system substantially to normal; and means for preventing a second reduction in voltage-for a predetermined time.

7. In an electrical distributing system; a generator having an armature circuit and a field circuit, means responsive to the'current in the armature circuit for opening the field circuit for apredetermined t me, means for closing the field circuit, and means for preventing the first namedmeans from opening the field circuit for a predetermined time.

8. In an electrical distributing system for interrupting arcs between conductors of the system; means for reducing the voltage of the entire system for a predetermined time, and then automatically restoring the voltage substantially to normal, and means for controlling the rate at which the voltage is restored.

9. In an alternating-current distributing system, the combination with means for reducing the voltage of the entire system when an arc obtains thereon, of means for restoring the voltage of the entire system substantially to normal before the apparatus connected thereto falls out of synchronism.

10. An electrical distribution system eomprising means for automatically reducing and restoring the voltage of the system to extinguish an arc thereon, the time between the reduction and restoration of the voltage being such that the connected load will operate without interruption.

11. An arc-extinguishing means for a system of distribution comprising means for reducing the voltage on the system and means for restoring the voltage on the system with sufficient promptness to prevent the load on the system from falling out of synchronism.

12. An arc-extinguishing means for a system of distribution comprising means for alternately reducing the voltage of the system to substantially zero and restoring the volt-age to substantially normal While an arc obtains thereon.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afliXed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

FORREST E. RICKETTS.

Witnesses:

JOHN T. FARDY, WM. M. VVURTZBURGER. 

